Dilma's new agenda is born: fair price.
Bank interest rates, telephone rates, and electricity prices: the president has already overcome the first obstacle and intends to tackle the other two to reduce the "Brazil Cost," not from the perspective of companies, but of consumers; a new government banner is beginning to emerge: fair prices.
247 - The Brazilian economy's figures are not among the best in international comparisons. The meager 0,2% GDP growth in the first quarter of this year placed Brazil 21st on a list of 33 countries. It is public knowledge in Brasília that, even amidst a turbulent environment in the federal capital, President Dilma Rousseff has dedicated much more attention to the economy than to politics. And, little by little, a hallmark of her government is beginning to take shape: that of a woman who is concerned about the "Brazil Cost," but not from the perspective of businesses, but rather from that of consumers.
The first battle, that of interest rates, is being overcome. Brazil no longer has the highest rate in the world, and the Selic rate of 8,5%, set by the Central Bank at the last meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee, has opened space for a new cycle of competition among banks. Institutions such as Bradesco, Banco do Brasil, BRB, and Caixa Econômica Federal have announced new rounds of rate cuts.
Now, the president has chosen two new targets: telephone and electricity rates. In the first case, she instructed the Minister of Communications, Paulo Bernardo, to conduct studies to reduce taxes on the sector and also other measures to lower the cost of calls, which, in Brazil, are the most expensive in the world (read more). here).
Regarding electricity bills, the president also requested studies from the Finance Minister, Guido Mantega, and the Minister of Mines and Energy, Édison Lobão, to reduce the 42% tax levied on the sector. The idea is to lower bills and free up resources in household budgets.
For a long time, the discussion about the so-called "Brazil Cost" was led by companies, which complained about poor infrastructure, excessive taxes, and bureaucracy. Now, from the consumer's perspective, this issue is beginning to gain traction within the government and reflects a stance that Dilma Rousseff already demonstrated as a minister in Lula's government. In the new model for the electricity sector, auctions were based on the premise of offering the cheapest energy to the consumer. The same was done in highway concessions whose bidding process she led, as in the case of the Fernão Dias highway.
In search of a flag
Dilma Rousseff has not yet found a definitive banner for her government. The "clean-up," a hallmark of her first year, was temporary. The slogan "A rich country is a country without poverty," in a way, only reflects the continuation of a process of social inclusion initiated by her predecessor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The government, perhaps, has begun to grasp one of the main desires of the Brazilian people: the notion of fair prices. Why, after all, does Brazil have the most expensive telephone service in the world? The most expensive energy in the world? The most expensive cars in the world? This is a cause that is beginning to take shape.